


A Cowardly Act of Bravery

by SexyEzekielTDI



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, F/M, M/M, Multi
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-07-23
Updated: 2018-07-23
Packaged: 2019-06-15 07:05:20
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 619
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15407625
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SexyEzekielTDI/pseuds/SexyEzekielTDI
Summary: Or "How a Slytherin's Impulsive Decision Changed His Destiny".(Takes place during Deathly Hallows around the time when Ron abandoned Harry and Hermione around Christmas time.)





	A Cowardly Act of Bravery

He could hear each beat of his heart, each intake, each exhale, of breath that passed through his lungs. It was dark in his bedroom, he could barely see, so that was all he had to mark the passage of time. He knew that Christmas was a week away, but that was it. His body still burned, his hands constantly trembling, from his most recent encounter with the Dark Lord. He wasn't even sure what exactly he had done wrong. Was that sick psychopath just bored? Did he just Crucio people for fun? Was torture just a form of entertainment for him? He shivered as he fought back the urge to cry. He couldn't take this anymore. He was tired of being afraid every morning he woke up. He was tired of wondering, "Am I going to be killed today?". He had to...he needed to...was it possible for him to escape..? He sat up and wiped his eyes with the back of his sleeve. Was he clever enough to find a way out? He ran a trembling hand through delicate blonde strands, wincing when his thin fingers caught on little knots and tangles. He couldn't just  _leave_ , he decided. He had to do something that would leave his mark. Something that would hurt the Dark Lord. He grabbed his wand then slipped from his room as silently as he could. He crept down the staircase, taking it one step at a time. He could recall his Aunt Bella going on and on the previous day about this cup she was planning on putting into her bank vault in Gringotts. She'd called it a "horcrux". He knew what those were. That cup had a piece of the Dark Lord's soul in it. If he could take that cup and  _destro_ y it, that would weaken him..right? That was a chance he was willing to take.

 

He slipped into the parlor, quickly checking for anyone else. When he was sure it was just him, he walked over to a golden cup sitting on the mantle of the large fireplace. There was a badger on the side of the cup and just being around it made his skin crawl. This was definitely the cup he was after. He reached out to grab it....

 

Then he froze as he heard footsteps from the nearby hall. Swallowing his fear, he snatched up the cup and immediately apperated out past the manor's wards. He ran into the woods, fueled by adrenaline and fear.

 

  
Once he was a good ways into the trees, he dropped the cup into the snow and yanked up his left sleeve. He glared at that cursed tattoo on his forearm. He wanted so badly to be rid of it. Not even stopping to consider the consequences, he slashed at his arm with fingernails, creating deep scratches through the mark. Then he picked the cup back up and started running and running and running....until he finally collapsed in the snow. He didn't know where he was, or how far away from the manor he was. He didn't care about his heavily bleeding arm. He forced himself back onto his feet and started casting every destructive spell he could think of at the cup. Nothing seemed to damage it. Had he failed again? He let himself fall back down into the snow in defeat. He started to cry. Maybe he should just lie there and let himself freeze to death. He curled up into a ball on his side and started to close his eyes.

 

 

Suddenly...

There was a glow in the snow near him.

 

It was bright enough to make him open his eyes.

 

He started to dig.

 

 

     

**Author's Note:**

> More will be coming! :D


End file.
